Plasma Jet Liner Formation

An understanding of the merging and implosion of plasma jets is critical to understanding the physics needed to generate fusion energy using Magnetized Target Fusion (MTF). This project will address one element of this problem by developing shaping nozzles for the plasma jets currently under development. The approach will help optimize nozzle geometry and dramatically improve other parameters of the jet, such as Mach number and density, to better control the merging of many jets to form spherically imploding shells of plasma. In Phase I, diagnostic measurements will be made and compared to computational models, and the best shapes will be incorporated into the design of a Phase II experiment to produce plasma liners with multiple jets. Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee The primary commercial application for the technology would be in the injection stage of a contoured electrode coaxial hypervelocity plasma gun, and as a high density plasma source in general. Another major area of commercial interest would be in benchmarking simulation codes such as LSP and Mach2. Other applications include fueling fusion devices, mitigating disruptions in tokamaks, materials science, and space propulsion